Lovers of local, connoisseurs of craftsman, and followers of all things fun, get ready to do some serious browsing. is a lot of things (flash deals, events calendar, online flea market…) but through it all there’s a charming emphasis on local. This week they’re inviting two of you to spend $200 in their , a curated collection of independent artisans and makers who often weave hometown pride into their work. There’s tons of cheery, clever, and skillful stuff to discover, and you can browse by category or even by city. You know, if you wanna see just what your neighbors are making these days.

PRIZE: A $200 gift card to

TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “MOB ME” and tell us…

BONUS QUESTION: … what’s something you’ve purchased locally lately that you love? Did you chow down on an awesome cupcake at a bakery down the street? Did you pick up some cool art at a recent craft fair? Or maybe you supported your local Girl Scouts by picking up a box of Samoas… or two…

NUMBER OF WINNERS: Two

PRIZE SHIPS: We always beg every vendor to ship internationally but some companies are not legally able to vend things beyond specific areas (more on that here). This giveaway is open to the United States.

USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday as an update to this post. That’s right, come right back here on Thursday for the announcement of our winners. Good luck…

***COMMENT ISSUES? If you’re trying to enter but keep getting a “duplicate comment” warning, click here to see how to solve it!

Note: We aren’t paid or perked for hosting these giveaways, we just do ‘em to thank you awesome folks for stopping in. See our Giveaway FAQpage for more info. Pics courtesy of .

MOB ME!…some enterprising locals packed their creepy van with Girl Scout cookies and set up a drive thru in an empty parking lot. There’s something beautiful about not having to burn any calories to buy fattening treats.

I’ve discovered a great shoe repair shop in the town next door, next door to a really authentic Salvadorean restaurant. I keep dropping off only one pair of shoes at a time, so I have excuses to go back!

In Denver, a local Asian supermarket, Little Saigon, sells “Madeleines” that are delicious for breakfast with espresso coffee every morning. Starbucks has them too expensive. Little Saigon, instead sells about six madeleines for about $1.99.

My hubby recently enjoyed a cupcake from a local cupcakery! I have been abstaining from sweets lately so he enjoyed it without me :-( And if our local thrift store counts then I am as local as it gets!

Locally for me, an event called LaughFest is currently happening in Grand Rapids. LaughFest is a comedy show event that lasts almost 2 weeks and all proceeds go to benefit Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids, a free grief/cancer support service for children and adults (Gilda Radner, a comedian and Gene Wilder’s wife, started Gilda’s Club…hence the comedic LaughFest event!). Lots of big name artists (Wayne Brady, Bill Cosby, etc.) come in AS WELL AS LOCAL COMEDIANS! Last night, my husband and I enjoyed a local show of area college improv teams and it was awesome! Plus, laughter really is the best medicine and can help us heal so much!